My Latest Buzzings

Hi, I'm Carrie.  Remember me?

We've been busy around my house lately!  First of all, my husband would be offended if I didn't mention that the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl.  You may remember that I am a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan, and that these two teams are rivals.  So Brent got a one-day reprieve from my ban on Steelers paraphernalia, and here is the result:

In other news, Henry James got his first bath.  He is not a fan!

We've also been sleeping a lot.  Not as much as we'd like (at least for Mama and Dada!), but still.

Next, you may remember that my sister and her husband live about a mile from us.  They were expecting their first baby, and last weekend the little bundle arrived!  Here is a photo of my brother-in-law right after he came into the hospital waiting room to tell us the baby was here!

It's a girl!  We ALL thought it was a boy, so WOW, were we shocked!  Welcome to baby Caroline!  Isn't she precious?

And just to prove that Caroline and Henry are indeed related, here's a photo snapped of Henry tonight, asleep on his daddy's lap.  Gotta love that pacifier!

Yep, those are two different babies.  They look so similar with those pacifiers, don't they?  I love how they both bring their hands up to their faces like that.

I completely admit that I have done very little on Henry's nursery.  I have a few things to share with you next week, but I have just been relishing in having a new baby, trying to keep up with the laundry, and actively restraining myself from eating ice cream for three meals a day! 

I appreciate all of you who have said such sweet things about me taking time off.  These days are just too precious to miss!  But I do have a decorating-related post all ready to go for next week.  Stay tuned!  And have a great weekend!

I'm Still Here!

I think about blogging just about every day, really I do!  But between feedings and catching naps when I can, I can barely find my way to the shower, let alone the computer!  But I miss chatting with all of you, and wanted to check in to let you know I am still alive!

I forgot how all-encompassing having a newborn is.  But today I got out of the house for a few hours all by myself, and went shopping for a few things for Henry's room.  Girls, I stood in the middle of the store and felt completely lost!  What has happened to my decorating mojo?  

So in a few days I hope to be able to post a few photos of Henry's nursery to get some help from all of you...maybe you can help me get my mojo back!  In the meantime, here's one photo to show you what we've been doing the past few weeks.  Isn't my husband the cutest dad in the world?

More to come soon...really!

Birth Announcement Bargain!

I have mentioned before my love of the website Scrapblog. In the past few months I have used this scrapbooking website to make the header for my blog, and also to make our Christmas cards. I love it!

Of course, with Henry's arrival, I went back to Scrapblog to design his birth announcement! What do you think?

Our last name is blurred out, but you get the idea.  And because I would want to know if I were you, I will brag about how inexpensive this whole thing was!

Printing of 100 (5x7) cards................$49.00

100 (5x7) envelopes (Walmart!)......$8.88
100 stamps...........................................$42.00
TOTAL.......................................$99.88

This worked out to be $1 per announcement, including postage, which is about half of the prices I saw online on a few specialty websites, and they didn't include postage!

Gotta love a bargain!  :)  

Henry's First Five Days

We are home!  

Slowly, we are adjusting to life with two kids.  Henry is such a sleepy baby, and generally mellow when he is awake.  He is such a joy!  It does seem like everything, from nursing to the overnight wake-ups, is easier this time around. Plus, who could get frustrated with this little face?

Big sister Nina is proving to be sweet with Henry, though she is undoubtedly more work than her baby brother.  I find myself saying what everyone says, "Why didn't I realize how easy I had it when I just had one kid?"

I am giving myself the grace to be away from blogging for awhile, though I doubt you'll get rid of me completely.  Henry's labor and delivery went really fast and I have some healing to do, but as soon as I am back on my feet I want to get his nursery into shape.  I can't wait to show it to you!

Thank you so much for all your well wishes!  I have read every single comment.  I am trying to take your advice and get lots of rest, and enjoy every minute while Henry is so little.  I know from experience that the day will come when he won't let me hold him on my lap as often, or cuddle and kiss him as much as I want.  I just want to soak up his "littleness" as much as I can.  And I forgot how perfect that new baby smell is!

 

It's a Boy!

Introducing Henry James!

Henry was born last night at 12:38 a.m.  He weighs 5 lb. 13 oz. and is 20 inches long.  He is perfectly healthy and just precious!

Here he is meeting his big sister, Nina.  She gave him lots of kisses and sang "Rockabye Baby" to him!
Today has been so much fun getting to know this little guy and sleeping a lot (thankfully Henry has been as sleepy as his mama!).

Thank you so much for your well-wishes and prayers!  I am so blessed to have so many friends in the blogging world.  And now I am off to have some more sleep!

Baby Time!

This is it!  We are on the way to the hospital, and will be very unavailable for a while!  I'll keep you posted on the appearance of Baby #2!

And in case you are wondering, I pre-wrote this post so that I could quickly get it on my blog when I went into labor.  You all know I'd never be coherent enough to type a post, let alone find a cute little cartoon to go with it, in the midst of contractions, right?  :)

Please pray for a healthy baby!

Roasted Lemon Chicken with Croutons

I know, I know.  Why am I still here?  But this baby has decided to take his/her sweet time, so I am still plugging away.  It's nice to have a little more time to get some things done, but I am ready to get on with the show!

A few nights ago I had a craving for this dish.  It is super-easy to make, and has such a "wow" factor, that I had to share.  Plus it makes your house smell amazing.  Of course, it's another one from my favorite girl, Ina Garten, i.e. the Barefoot Contessa.

I have made this for guests many times, and everyone goes crazy for it!  The reason?  See those bread cubes underneath the chicken?  My husband and I almost get into a sword fight (more of a fork fight, actually) over those.  Every time.  After you roast the chicken and toast the bread cubes, you put the chicken on top of the bread and carve it.  The bread soaks up all the juices, along with some yummy onions that have been caramelizing with the chicken in the oven.  It is absolute heaven!

This is seriously one of our favorite all-time meals.  Now that I am writing about it, I want to go back and make it again right now!  I hope you give it a try!

Lemon Chicken with Croutons

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1 (4 to 5-pound) roasting chicken
1 large yellow onion, sliced
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette from the bakery section of your grocery store)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Take the giblets out of the chicken and wash it inside and out.  Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers.  Toss the onion with a little olive oil in a small roasting pan.  Place the chicken on top and sprinkle the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper.  Place the lemons inside the chicken.  Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, brush it with the melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh.  Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.  (The onions may burn, but the flavor is good.)

Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot.  Lower the heat to medium-low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Place the croutons on a serving platter.  Place the whole chicken on top of the croutons and slice it, letting all the pan juices and onions distribute over the croutons.  Sprinkle with salt and serve warm.

Be prepared to fight everyone off for the croutons.  Just saying.

Oh, and another side note.  Once, my husband mistook one of the roasted lemons for a crouton.  It was not good.  He wants me to warn you so you don't make the same mistake!  :)